Non classé

NTW celebrates its 4 years of existence, by Nadja Zeleznik

25 November 2017

Nuclear Transparency Watch was created in November 2013 as a European, non-profitassociation founded under French Law which gather together different civil society representatives. Its main objective is to ensure greater vigilance and public involvement in relation to all activities in nuclear sector. Therefore, the NTW has chosen as a lead message to “Prevent and anticipate through transparency and participation” and has the principal focus on transparency as a means to guarantee safety and the protection of human health and the environment against ionizing radiation.

NTW includes two types of members: individuals as qualified members and organizations which are implicated in or concerned with the monitoring of nuclear activities. The NTW counts currently 48 members and doubled the number of members since 2013. These members represent 17 EU countries (Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, UK, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria) and 3 non-EU countries (Ukraine, Russia, Turkey), also qualified members coming from variety of EU Parliament parties. In addition, there is also a wider group of interested NGOs which joint to the NTW for particular project or activity.

The topics which are of interest to NTW are currently also organized as Working Groups and include:

Emergency Preparedness and Response, dealing with the EU and national arrangements for nuclear or radiological accident and their improvements,
Radioactive Waste Management, focusing on the EU and national requirements, implementation strategies and encountered problems in different countries,
Nuclear Power Plants Ageing performing investigations on the challenges of ageing of nuclear installations, related transparency problems and ways to improve the situation.

As a cross-cutting area there is a Working Group on transparency and public participation which foster implementation of Aarhus and ESPOO convention in nuclear sector, including the right to access to information, participation in decision-making process and justice in environmental matters. In addition, NTW also support the right to the effective access to resources, including financial resources, which are necessary in order to achieve enduring, knowledgeable, rigorous and constructive engagement.

At the end of our fourth anniversary we can say that NTW has become an important player at EU level gathering different representatives of civil society concerned with nuclear safety and radiation protection. The NTW is now involved in many EU activities and has established relationships with EC institutions, assures the transboundary participation in relevant topics and provides the support at national level for civil society organizations, many times lacking the national support. We will also in the future aim to increase the transparency of nuclear activities and the engagement of civil society to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety in the European Union and at its borders.

Nadja Zeleznik is the president of NTW and senior Expert at EIMV Slovenia.

28 recommendations to limit the consequences of a nuclear crisis for the population

10 September 2017

The road map established at the conclusion of the European research project Shamisen underlines the importance of involving the population in the management of an accident and taking into account the social, economic and psychological effects, particularly in the context of an evacuation of contaminated territories.

This article was published on the website of the IRSN, and can be found in french here.

What to do or not to do in the case of a nuclear accident? How to improve the medical follow-up and living conditions of the affected population? Because the decisions taken at the time of the accidents of Chernobyl and Fukushima sometimes “did more harm than good”, the European Commission launched Shamisen, a research program that brought together 19 European and Japanese organizations including IRSN , as well as American, Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian experts.

The work resulted in the development of 28 specific recommendations for the nuclear accident to improve both crisis preparedness, crisis management and the post-accident phase. In addition, general principles have been identified that can be applied to other types of accidents and disasters.

This roadmap aims to extend the management of the nuclear accident beyond the protection of the population against exposure to ionizing radiation. Measures such as the evacuation of contaminated areas have important psychological, social and economic consequences which must be taken into account.

In summary, recommendations focus on three main objectives to involve the affected population in decision-making alongside experts and authorities:

1. Take into account the well-being of the affected population

2.Promote the participation of the affected population and other actors such as medical staff

3.Respect the autonomy and dignity of the affected populations.

Downolad the full 28 recommandations here.

Report on Responses to Foreign Contributions, Public Hearing of Czech Update of the National Programme on Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management

10 July 2017

Article by Olga Kališová.

During the public hearing on Update of the National Programme on Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management in the Czech Republic and its evaluation in Prague on June 28, 2017 [1], the views of 3 foreign experts (NTW members) were communicated in cooperation with Calla – Association for Preservation of the Environment to the Czech public and the authorities. This report first briefly summarizes the main contributions of foreign contributions and then lists the follow-up responses of the Czech authorities and the SEA processor [2].

In the first contribution, Dr David Lowry of the Nuclear Waste Advisory Associates (NWAA) recommends that:

all alternatives to radioactive waste management are evaluated,
the government listens to and responds to the voices of the local people,
public hearings take place not only in the capital city, but also in areas which are potentially affected by waste management plans.

In the second contribution, Dr Paul Dorfman of the Energy Institute at University College of London:

draws attention to the fact that the current strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of the national programme is in contradiction with the critical conclusions of previous studies [3] drawn up in connection with the deep geological repository,
mentions insufficient assessment of the options for radioactive waste management.

In the third contribution, Dr Jari Natunen of the Mining Delegation of Finnish People:

stresses that intervention in the Earth’s crust in relation to the management of radioactive waste will have an impact on the environment and should be properly assessed,
recommends transboundary impact assessment of the Czech national programme on the environment,
advises on a comprehensive assessment of all alternatives to radioactive waste management.

Three persons responded to the topics mentioned in the contributions.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade (MPO) Lenka Kovačovská responded to the contributions as follows:

–The importance of hearing local people’s concerns: deputy minister Kovačovská said that discussions were taking place between MPO and Radioactive Waste Repository Authority (SÚRAO/RAWRA) and local residents in potential sites.

Mrs. Kovačovská’s opinion was in contrast with the viewpoint of Jitka Kantová, a member of the Society for the Rescue of the Church of St. Jiljí (in original “Za záchranu kostela sv. Jiljí“) in Lubenec in the Ústí nad Labem Region (the Čertovka site), who said at about 1:50:51 that the state conducted a dialogue only with those who agree with the current siting process for a deep geological repository. For illustration, she added her own experience that the mayor of her village meets with state offices on a regular basis, but she is not provided with information from meetings or invited to dialogue (note: the relevant comment was pasted at the end of the audio [2] and you can listen to it at 29:19).

– A single public hearing only in the capital: deputy minister Kovačovská said the reason for it is the MPO’s intention to have all comments in one place so that everyone has the same access to information.

Deputy minister Kovačovská also explained that the SEA process was lengthy due to translations of all the materials into the English and German languages. According to Gabriele Mraz of the Österreichisches Ökologie Institut, however, the problem is that only a non-technical summary of the evaluation was translated into German, not a summary of the national programme itself, which is only in English. Also, the deadline for sending comments within the transboundary SEA process in Austria [4] falls into summer holidays from July 4 to August 1, which is a very unusual approach for Austrian authorities. Other states than Austria, according to deputy minister Kovačovská, had not used their initiative and had not requested a cross-border SEA before 28^th June.

–The state closes off its options and eliminates alternatives to a deep geological repository: deputy minister Kovačovská said: “Under current levels of knowledge, and knowing that the lifetime of the intermediate storage facilities is limited, and considering those technologies, we have no other more effective solution” (note: than a deep geological repository).

SÚRAO/RAWRA Director RNDr. Jiří Slovák responded to the following topics:

– Insufficient evaluation of alternatives: director Slovák said that RAWRA has focused on the evaluation of concepts that are verifiable in practice, whereas, for example, the concept of deep boreholes can not be considered as such. In the United States, experiments are in the pilot project stage. The risk is 1/ in the indefinability of the geological conditions at a depth of about 3-5 km and how the material will be stored, so the safety of such storage for hundreds of thousands and millions of years can not be demonstrated, and 2 / in the operational risk of vertical release of the waste to the depth when there is no clear procedure to deal with a possible crash. On the contrary, a deep geological repository can solve all risks.

On the additional comment of Olga Kališová MSc. that the same argument of impossibility to demonstrate the safety regarding the long-term behavior of radwaste in depth also applies to the deep geological repository due to the inevitable corrosion of the containers, the rock movement and the associated change of the groundwater flow paths, the director Slovák replied that the safety of the deep geological repository is demonstrated for the following reasons: the Finnish store project has undergone the whole process of validation and verification of evidence. The process of corrosion and movement on some fissure systems will, of course, take place. However, the description of the site’s behavior over the last few million years will help roughly predict the behavior of the deep geological repository for millions of years ahead. The behavior of the environment in the future is proven through various scenarios, models and comparison of situations in the rock, Earth’s crust, or through laboratory tests. Additionally, the safety of the deep geological repository is documented on the basis of today’s human knowledge and, according to the decision of the Nuclear Regulator, the concept of a deep repository is safe.

– The risks associated with groundwater assessed in the report by GeoBariéra [3]: director Slovák confirmed that the risk of losing and affecting groundwater was identified at specific repository sites. He said that evaluating the impacts of the national programme on radioactive waste management and spent nuclear fuel did not address these risks. In order to evaluate the risks in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, geological survey will be carried out in only two specific sites (note: the two sites are to be selected by 2020), which will demonstrate groundwater impact to a depth of 500 meters and its impact on the Earth’s surface.

SEA assessor RNDr. Milan Macháček (Natura 2000 assessor) responded as follows:

–On the GeoBariéra report: SEA assessor Macháček said that this report had focused on evaluating conflicts of interest of candidate sites. Extensive exploration areas are currently being established (note: their validity expired on December 31, 2016 [5] and the whole process has become complicated [6]). For detailed geological research on two specific locations, the project will be elaborated on using more detailed information about the site and the individual phases of the project will be submitted to the EIA process. There are technical means to limit the environmental impact of geological survey. In his opinion, the assessment of the national programme is not in contradiction with the GeoBaiéra report. The EIA will also be carried out for the construction of an underground research laboratory (URL) in the final location. At that time, further updates of the national programme on radioactive waste management will also have to be developed.

On the additional comment of Olga Kališová, whether the SEA processor could clarify why the assessment of the concept is not in contradiction with the GeoBariéra report, Mr. Macháček replied that, because he would assume that this would surely be a frequent comment, the answer will be given later in a written record.

Note: During the SEA public hearing, there were also contributions from other Czech non-governmental organizations and experts involved in the radioactive waste management in a long-term, which are not mentioned in this report for capacity reasons.

Author: Olga Kališová, MSc.

Notes:

[1] Press release of Nuclear Transparency Watch “Evaluation of the National Program on Radioactive Waste and Waste Management: NTW Calls for Proper Public Discussion and Participation” dated June 28, 2017

[2] Audio from the public discussion “Update of the National Programme on Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management in the Czech Republic” and its assessment on the environment in Prague on 28 June 2017 with the views of 3 foreign experts from 01:01 and Czech reactions at 09:11. Please use your headphones for better sound.

[3]GeoBariéra, Provedení geologických a dalších prací pro hodnocení a zúžení lokalit pro umístění hlubinného úložiště [“Performing geological and other work for assessing and selecting sites for the deep geological repository: Preliminary feasibility study.”]; Prague (2005): find the full document in Czech.

[4] Tschechische Entsorgungsstrategie 2017, Umwelt Bundesamt.

[5]Press release of Platform Against Deep Repository “Municipalities threatened by a deep geological repository have succeeded: the state must stop geological surveys in seven sites”dated March 1, 2017.

[6] Press release of Platform Against Deep Repository “Radioactive Waste Repository Authority – our common unpredictable future” dated June 28, 2017

Presentation of Johan Swahn on Radioactive Waste Management, ENSREG 28 June 2017

3 July 2017

During the 4th European Nuclear Safety Conference taking place in Brussels in June 28-29, Johan Swahn, director of the swedish NGO MKG and member of the board of NTW was invited to speak in the panel on Radioactive Waste Management as a representative of civil society.

In parallel of the European Commission’s evaluation of the implementation of the Radioactive Waste Directive by the member states, NTW follows the way member states work with radioactive waste management.

Johan Swahn stated that effective transparency is important for successful decisionmaking in radioactive waste management. All three pillars of the Aarhus Convention (access to information, to public particiption and to justice) have to be implemented. In addition the civil society has to be resourced in a way that preserves the independence of local communities and environmental NGOs.

Johan Swahn also gave an overview of the Swedish situation, showing how a relatively good implementation of the Aarhus Convention there allows the civil society to participate effectively in the consultation processes, especially for the planned repository for spent fuel in Forsmark in Östhammar community.

Download his full presentation here.

Anomalies in Flamanville EPR reactor vessel: ACRO calls for more transparency

23 June 2017

The steel anomalies in the reactor vessel of the EPR in Flamanville and many steam generators have led to one of the most serious crises faced by the French nuclear industry.

The report of the High Committee on Transparency and Information on Nuclear Safety (HCTISN) highlights the absence of precise information from Areva and EdF on the serious problems affecting the reactor vessel of the Flamanville EPR . The finding would be the same for steam generators. ACRO, therefore calls for more transparency.

The association made an inventory of the available documentation and reconstructed a chronology of the events on a dedicated website: http://transparence-nucleaire.eu.org.

Find the full press release of ACRO published on 21.06.17 in french here.

New study: Health effects of ionising radiation and their consideration in radiation protection

20 June 2017

By Gabriele Mraz from the Austrian Institute of Ecology and Oda Becker, Independent Expert for the Risks of Nuclear Facilities based in Hannover. It is supported by the Vienna Ombuds-Office for Environmental Protection.

While the effects of high radiation doses on humans (like acute radiation sickness) are documented quite well, the health effects of low radiation doses are still discussed highly controversially in radiation protection. Low doses result from nuclear installations during normal operation, from accident situations in nuclear facilities for workers and the public, from the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but also from medical exposure and natural background.

Based on new insights in health effects it can be concluded that the dose limits and levels in the BSS-Directive (Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom) and in the Food Level Regulation (Council Regulation Euratom 2016/52) are too high. They do not provide enough protection, especially for the embryo/foetus, children, pregnant women and young adults.

The extended summary can be downloaded here: summary.

Downolad the full study.

In the Joint Project, European NGOs and research institutions cooperate since 2003 on safe and sustainable energy issues with a focus on anti-nuclear activities in Central and Eastern Europe.
The long-term goals of the Joint Project are a nuclear phase-out in Europe, no new-build nuclear power plants, no renaissance of nuclear energy, no lifetime extension of old reactors, safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste and adequate public participation.

http://www.joint-project.org/

NTW response on European Commission refusal to give access to information on grounds PAKSII non-tendering

27 February 2017

On 8 December 2016, Christiana Mauro and NTW made a request access to the documents connected to the legal assessment of infringement proceeding 2015/4231 initiated by the Commission against Hungary with regard to the public procurement process for the Paks Nuclear Power Plant refurbishment and new reactor construction. In addition, they also request the Commission to provide any additional documentation related to the investigation that may be available under Regulation 1049/2001, including the legal analyses conducted by the Commission services, internal notes and documents, correspondence and reports.

On 19 January 2017, NTW and Christiana Mauro received a refusal informing that their application cannot be granted, as disclosure is prevented by exception to the right of access laid down in Article 4 of this Regulation.

On 22 February 2017, following this request for access to documents of 8 December 2016, NTW and Christiana Mauro submitted a confirmatory application in accordance with Article 7(2)[1] and 7(4)[2] of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. They ask to reconsider the position taken as regards the request for the legal basis of the conclusion of infringement procedure NIF 2015/4231, to which access has been refused.

Find this access to information on AskTheEU.org

Joint Project conference on RWM in Budapest on 15 Deember 2016

23 February 2017

A one-day conference with international experts has focused on the Euratom directive on management of spent fuel and radioactive waste (Council Directive 2011/70/Euratom) in Budapest on 15 December 2016.

The status of implementation in EU member states and whether this directive will „solve“ the issue of waste disposal have been analyzed.

To illustrate the effectiveness or non-effectiveness of this directive, national cases were observed. Hungary was an example of a country (not the only one) still considering the export of spent fuel to the Mayak facility in Russia.

This conference also provided up-to-date information on the situation at Mayak and the Hungarian plans for spent fuel from Paks I and Paks II.

A report of the conference and speakers presentations are available on the Joint Project Website.

Concerns on transparency and regulatory independence in Hungary

9 February 2017

A letter of NTW to the IAEA and the Convention on Nuclear Safety concerning the law changes in Hungary

On 9 February 2017, Nadja Zeleznik, Chair of Nuclear Trasparency Watch wrote to Mr. Ramzi Jammal (President of the 7th Review Meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) ) and Mr. Yukiya Amano (Secretary General of the IAEA) about NTW concerns on the law changes in Hungary and the issue of regulatory independence.

NTW was informed about changes in the Hungarian energy legislation that undermine the independent position of the nuclear regulator, the Hungarian Atomic Energy Agency (HAEA). This situation could seriously compromise transparency during the construction of nuclear projects and nuclear waste management, as well as fundamentally impair nuclear safety.

This letter recommend to discuss this matter during the 7th Review Meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety.

Letter of Nadja Zeleznik, Chair of Nuclear Transparency Watch: download

Letter of Mr Jammal, President of the 7th Review Meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) : download

Internship – Project Assistant

21 October 2015

Suggested start-date: January 2016
Suggested duration: 6 months
Location: Brussels

Please find the NTW’s internship offer

REQUIRED SKILLS
– Interest in nuclear affairs;
– Master’s degree or current master student in Political Science, Social Science, European Affairs, – Law, Communications, natural science or other related field;
– Excellent English (oral and written); Other language skills are an asset (in particular French);
– Strong administrative, communication, writing, proofreading and organizational skills;
– Ability to work independently; Be a proactive, problem solver and team player person.

MAIN FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Increasing NTW visibility within the European context; Monitoring and providing analysis of EU nuclear agenda, policies and legislation and all activities of European nuclear lobbies (industry).
COMMUNICATION: Promoting our work and events; emailing and correspondence with contacts and partners; Updating NTW website; Managing social media; Preparing press statements; Creating quarterly newsletters.
ORGANISATION: Taking part in meetings and taking minutes; Organising meetings in Brussels for NTW (General Assembly, MB, WGs, special events or workshops) and events in interaction with EU institutions (EP, EC, etc.); Preparing proposals and applications for funding; Assisting with updating the database and other tasks when necessary.

WHAT WE OFFER
A six-month internship at NTW Brussels office (Trone Area).
The intern will start ideally in January 2016 for a part-time internship (4/5).

REMUNERATION
The internship is remunerated. The amount depends on the situation of the applicant:
– The intern is a recent graduate who is seeking a first work experience.
– The intern is a current student and can deliver a memorandum of agreement (convention de stage) to be established between NTW and the intern’s university.

CONDITIONS
The intern needs to bring his/her own laptop with Microsoft office programs (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
The intern needs to live in Brussels and have a European Nationality or working permit in Benelux.

COLLABORATION
The intern will be placed under the responsibility of the Head of Operations of NTW based in Brussels. He/she may also have occasional links with other NTW members: the Chair, Management Board, working group leaders of NTW.

OPPORTUNITIES
This internship is a nice opportunity to have a first work experience:
– You will enhance your knowledge on Nuclear issues;
– You can play a key role in a growing association located in Brussels and help bolster its reputation in the context of EU Institutions and nuclear lobbies;
– You will get exposure as key player in European public policy;
– You will be part of a dynamic and international team;
– You will attend to events and conference of EU Institutions, NGOs and Social Platforms.

INTERESTED?
Applicants should send a CV and Covering Letter to Head of Operations, Marie-Alix Verhoeven by 20 November at latest: ma.verhoeven@nuclear-transparency-watch.eu

Please download the NTW’s internship offer

Non classé

Address